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January 21
1800s 1900s-1930s *1916 - The New York Yankees buy pitcher Nick Cullop from the Kansas City Packers (FL), infielder Joe Gedeon from the Salt Lake Bees (PCL), and infielder Germany Schaefer from Newark Peppers (FL). Schaefer will announce that he is changing his nickname to "Liberty" because of the war. He noticed that "sauerkraut" had been renamed "liberty cabbage". *1921 - Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis officially is signed as baseball commissioner, to a seven-year, $350,000 contract. *1933 - Future Hall of Fame pitcher Waite Hoyt is signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates after being waived by the New York Giants. *1936 - The Hollywood Stars, last place finishers in the San Diego, where they will become the Padres. The Stars were unable to pay the annual rent of $8,000 for Wrigley Field. *1938 - Outfielder Joe DiMaggio begins a contract holdout that will last for nearly three months. After meeting with New York Yankees owner Jacob Ruppert and general manager Ed Barrow, DiMaggio rejects a one-year offer of $25,000. DiMaggio counters by asking for $45,000. The holdout will last until April 20, two days after the start of the season. 1940s *1941 - Pitcher Bob Feller signs with the Cleveland Indians for a reported $30,000. *1947 - A rule change that allows voting only for players after 1921 produces four new Hall of Fame members: catcher Mickey Cochrane, second baseman Frankie Frisch, and pitchers Lefty Grove and Carl Hubbell, all former Most Valuable Players and World Series winners. Pie Traynor misses selection by two votes. Hubbell, was forbidden by Ty Cobb to throw his screwball in Detroit's farm system, but he used it to win 253 games for the New York Giants; Frisch went to the World Series eight times and batted .316 over 19 seasons; Grove won 300 games, and his battery mate Cochrane retired with .320, the highest lifetime batting average of any catcher. 1950s *1953 - The Baseball Writers Association of America passes over Joe DiMaggio in his first year of eligibility and elects pitcher Dizzy Dean and outfielder Al Simmons to the Hall of Fame. Dean gathers 209 votes while Simmons' total of 199 is one more than needed. The colorful Dean had a .644 career winning percentage and won 120 games from 1932 through 1936, including 30 wins in 1934. Simmons, who drove in 100 runs in each of his first eleven major league seasons, was one of the most feared hitters of his time. Also joining DiMaggio, who finished 8th in the voting, are in order Bill Terry, Bill Dickey, Rabbit Maranville, Dazzy Vance, Ted Lyons, Chief Bender (9th) and Gabby Hartnett (10th). All will eventually make it. 1960s-1970s *1960 - In an unusual request, Stan Musial tells the St. Louis Cardinals management that he is overpaid and should have his salary reduced after a subpar 1959 season. He receives a pay cut from $100,000 to $80,000 a year. *1969 - Roy Campanella and Stan Musial are selected by the BBWAA to join the elite group of players enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame. *1971 - No player receives three-fourths of the necessary votes to be elected into the Hall of Fame, with Yogi Berra (242) and Early Wynn (240) coming the closest. Berra and Wynn will be elected a year later. 1980s-1990s *1981 - Four-time Gold Glove Award winner César Gerónimo is traded by the Cincinnati Reds to the Kansas City Royals for a minor league prospect. *1987: **Free agent pitcher Vida Blue comes to terms with the Oakland Athletics, but will surprise the team next month by announcing his retirement. **Free agent outfielder Gary Roenicke, who spent last season with the Yankees after eight years with Baltimore, is signed by the Atlanta Braves. *1993 - Hall of Fame second baseman Charlie Gehringer dies at the age of 89, one month after suffering a stroke. During a 19-year career with the Detroit Tigers, Gehringer posted a .320 batting average with 184 home runs and 1427 RBI. In 1937, he enjoyed arguably his finest season, leading the American League with a .371 average. 2000s *2000: **The National Labor Relations Board refuses to overturn the election which removed Richie Phillips and the Major League Umpires Association from power. A new union will represent the arbiters. **The Detroit Tigers sign free agent pitcher Hideo Nomo to a one-year contract. Nomo's agent had declined a multi-year contract with the Milwaukee Brewers, expecting more on the open market. **The Mets sign free agent pitcher Rich Rodriguez to a two-year contract and reacquire pitcher Bill Pulsipher from the Brewers in exchange for infielder Luis López. *2002 - In a complicated three-team, eleven-players trade, the New York Mets send Benny Agbayani and Todd Zeile to the Colorado Rockies in exchange for Alex Ochoa, Ross Gload, Craig House and cash considerations. The third team in the deal, the Milwaukee Brewers, send Jeromy Burnitz, Jeff D'Amico, Lou Collier, Mike Sweeney, and cash to the Mets, in exchange for Lenny Harris, Glendon Rusch and Ochoa. The Mets have now replaced half of their 2001 roster. *2005 - Roger Clemens and the Houston Astros agree to an $18 million, one-year contract. Clemens, a seven-time Cy Young Award winner, agrees to a deal that makes him the highest-paid pitcher for the fifth time, following deals with the Boston Red Sox in 1989 ($2.5 million) and 1991 ($5.38 million); with the Toronto Blue Jays before the 1997 season, and with the New York Yankees in 2000 ($15.45 million). Births *1867 - Mike Tiernan, outfielder (d. 1918) *1899 - Lew Fonseca, player and manager (d. 1989) *1923 - Sam Mele, outfielder *1927 - Danny O'Connell, infielder (d. 1969) *1946 - Johnny Oates, manager (d. 2004) *1947 - Bill Stein, infielder *1952 - Mike Krukow, All-Star pitcher *1955 - Dave Smith, All-Star pitcher *1955 - Mike Smithson, pitcher *1959 - José Uribe, infielder *1960 - Andy Hawkins, pitcher *1966 - Chris Hammond, pitcher *1969 - Rusty Greer, outfielder *1971 - Brian Giles, All-Star outfielder *1972 - Alan Benes, pitcher *1979 - Byung-Hyun Kim, All-Star pitcher *1981 - Wilfredo Ledezma, pitcher Deaths *1922 - Orator Shaffer, outfielder (b. 1851) *1979 - Sam Leslie, infielder (b. 1938) *1959 - Hooks Wiltse, pitcher (b. 1915) *1970 - Casper Asbjornson, catcher (b. 1909) *1980 - Clyde Barnhart, outfielder (b. 1895) *1989 - Carl Furillo, All-Star outfielder (b.1922) *1993 - Charlie Gehringer, Hall of Fame infielder (b. 1903)